World Cup Boot Watch: the Most Unusual Boot Choices on Show in Qatar
The majority of the boots worn during the first week of the tournament have come from the World Cup packs of Nike; Adidas and - to a lesser extent - Puma. Nonetheless, some players caught our eye with their custom colourways, older models and boots from lesser spotted brands.
World Cup Boot Watch
We've seen plenty of players in Nike's copper coloured silos and Adidas' vibrant Al Rihla pack, as the two big boys dominate in the footwear department. Puma are quite well represented too, but it's always more interesting to see some more left-field choices on the big stage. Check out some of the most intriguing boots we've spotted during the first week of the World Cup.
DeAndre Yedlin - Tru Tencaci
By our estimations, the former Newcastle and Spurs defender has given Tru their first ever World Cup appearance, a few weeks after we spotted them in the Premier League for the first time on the feet of Kurt Zouma.
Joel Campbell - Pirma Supreme X
One time Arsenal man Campbell now plys his trade in Mexico, and has started wearing boots from local brand Pirma since he moved there. He's worn two different colourways so far of their Supreme X boot.
Darwin Nunez and Mathías Olivera - Custom Colourway Nike Mercurials
The two Uruguay players opted for a slightly older model of the Mercurial in custom colourways in their opener against Korea. Nunez went for a sky blue and white paintjob to match his kit, while Oliveira's lime green pair of Superflys are a little bit louder.
Bryan Ruiz - Copa Mundial
As one of the elder statesmen at this World Cup, Ruiz has gone for boot to match this status, the classic Copa Mundial. He's blacked his out, but we could see the boot disappear completely in the not too distant future.
Japan Players - Mizuno Azure Blue Pack
Most of Mizuno's representation at this tournament comes from the squad of their home nation, with 5 of Japan's players wearing their boots. Most of them are sporting the different models of the Azure Blue pack, while Ao Tanaka and Maya Yoshida have stuck with their white Morelia IIs and Alphas respectively.
Miki Yamane - Asics DS Light
Another Japanese player with footwear from his homeland, Yamane is the only player to wear Asics boots at the tournament, standing out in his white DS Lights.
Ismaila Sarr - Nike Mercurial CR7
Of course Ronaldo himself is wearing the boots that were specially designed for him, but we weren't expecting to see Watford's Ismaila Sarr in the latest CR7 edition Mercurials as well. It's quite curious seeing players wear the signature boots some of the games biggest stars, especially when they find themselves playing at the same tournament.
Abdelhamid Sabiri
One of the protagonists of Morocco's shock win over Belgium, Sabiri thought he had scored the first free kick of the tournament, only for FIFA to award the goal to his teammate Roman Saiss. At least his custom whiteout Mercurials with red initals and number matched his kit perfectly.
Walid Cheddira - Lotto Solista
Born in Italy, Cheddira represents the country of his birth through his choice of boots, the Lotto Solista. Once a common sight on the feet of Serie A players, Lotto's presence in the game is not what it once was, so they'll be delighted to appear with Cheddira at the tournament.
Raheem Sterling - New Balance Furon v7 Raheem Sterling Stone Island
There are a few New Balance athletes across a number of squads, but Raheem Sterling has been chosen by the brand to front the Stone Island collaboration on the pitch.
Aziz Behich - Mizuno Morelia Neo
Another Mizuno sighting. Behich has opted for the red colourway of the Morelia Neo rather than the more recent blue offering.
Ramin Rezaeian - Niek Mercurial Vapor X
Iran's Rezaeian is one of many Iran players to prefer something from Nike's back catalogue, taking us back to 2015 with his bright pink Mercurial Vapor X.
Mehdi Torabi - Nike Zoom Mercurial Vapor 15 KM
Unfortunately Torabi doesn't have the global appeal to warrant his own signature boot from Nike, but he seems happy enough to make do with the most recent one they created for Kylian Mbappé.
Akram Afif - Adidas F50 Adizero Messi
One final spotting of a signature edition, as Qatar forward Akram Afif wore the Adidas F50 Adizero Messi. Sadly the boots did not bestow him with any of the magic associated with their namesake, as his side were the first team eliminated from the tournament.
Roozbeh Cheshmi - Adidas Predator 19.1
Cheshmi ignited some extremely late drama in Group B with his 98th minute strike against Wales in his blue and black Predator 19.1s. Probably the last model to retain at least some of the visual identity of the Predator range, we wouldn't mind seeing Adidas revert to something more along these lines.
Have you spotted any other standout boots that we've missed here? Let us know in the comments.
AJ Auxerre 26-27 Third Kit Released
French Ligue 1 side AJ Auxerre and technical partner Macron have officially unveiled the club's new third kit for the 2026-27 season. The new release completes Auxerre's set of match wear for the campaign, following the earlier launches of their retro-inspired home kit and black away strip.
The Macron Auxerre 2026-27 third jersey is predominantly blue and centers around a broad vertical navy stripe running down the middle, framed by two thin white boundary lines. In a centrally aligned setup, both the white Macron Hero and the AJ Auxerre crest are applied in silicone on the navy chest panel. A navy crew neck collar and matching sleeve cuffs feature contrasting white tipping, while "AJ AUXERRE" is embroidered in white on the upper back neck.
Matching blue shorts featuring navy and white edge striping and blue socks with a navy band topped by white trim round off the look.
Special FC Metz Robert Pirès 26-27 Testimonial Kit Released
French club FC Metz and kit supplier Kappa have officially unveiled a limited-edition collector's shirt to celebrate the testimonial match of club icon Robert Pirès, set to take place on October 6, 2026, at the Stade Saint-Symphorien.
The special jersey pays homage to Metz's memorable 1996 kit, the season Les Grenats lifted the Coupe de la Ligue with Pirès playing a central role. Reinterpreting the distinct graphic side motif of that era, the shirt features a rich garnet base paired with an intricate geometric graphic panel running down the side, an elegant white polo collar, and a centrally placed Kappa Omini logo alongside the club's traditional Lorraine cross crest. The back showcases Pirès' famous name and number 7 in a retro font, completed by a commemorative jocktag patch at the hem.
The limited-edition jersey is available for pre-order in strictly limited numbers via Metz's online store. It will be donned on pitch during the testimonial event, which brings together legends from Metz, Arsenal, and the France national team to celebrate the career of the 1998 World Cup winner where his professional journey first began.
Brighton Become First Team to Wear Anniversary Kit in the Premier League in 18 Years
In their recent 3-0 victory over Arsenal, Brighton debuted a special 125th-anniversary kit, making them the first team since Manchester United in 2008 (who marked the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster) to wear a commemorative jersey in the Premier League.
Clause 13, Section M of the Premier League regulations strictly limits clubs to three registered kits per season, making special exemptions exceptionally rare.
Other kit exemptions over the years have been few and far between: Man City wore a one-off gold sponsor detail on the final day to celebrate their title triumph in the last match of the 20-21 season, while Newcastle had to turn a pre-match tee into an official match kit to fix an emergency kit clash against Brighton in 22-23.
Thanks to our partner @whatthekit_x for the interesting spotted and the collage.
To Never Be Worn: TSV 1860 München 26-27 Oktoberfest Kit Released
The new TSV 1860 München 26-27 Oktoberfest kit has been officially released by Joma through the club's merchandising company. However, mirroring the previously revealed 26-27 home shirt, this special Wiesn design will never be worn in an official match. Following the insolvency of the club's professional division and forced relegation to the Regionalliga Bayern, 1860 München severed ties with Joma and partnered with local Munich supplier Societas for their on-pitch kits.
The Joma 1860 München 26-27 Oktoberfest jersey presents a classic Bavarian aesthetic based on a clean white shirt. Running vertically down the left side beneath the crest is a light blue and white Bavarian rhombus pattern, framed on both sides by delicate floral vine graphics reminiscent of traditional Trachten embroidery. A dark navy V-neck collar and matching sleeve cuffs complete the look, while the inside neck is detailed with Munich's famous "O'zapft is" festival motto. The front displays the traditional embroidered black lion badge with a championship star, accompanied by dark branding from Joma and primary sponsor die Bayerische.
Brazilian Clubs Defend Betting Sponsors
Corinthians, Palmeiras, São Paulo and Santos have joined forces with the São Paulo Football Federation (FPF) and other Brazilian football bodies to push back against possible restrictions on betting, warning that major changes could have a serious financial impact on the sport.
The reaction comes as the Brazilian government prepares a possible executive order to ban online casino operations, while further restrictions on sports betting are still being discussed. Clubs are concerned that tighter rules could put existing sponsorship deals and an important source of football revenue at risk.
And the numbers show why. 13 of the 20 Série A clubs currently have a betting company as their main shirt sponsor, with the combined value of these deals estimated at more than R$1 billion per season. Flamengo (Betano), Fluminense (Superbet), Botafogo (Vbet), Palmeiras (Sportingbet), Corinthians (Esportes da Sorte), São Paulo (Superbet)...
The debate comes as major European leagues have moved in the opposite direction. Italy introduced a broad ban on gambling advertising and sponsorship in 2018, while Spain introduced strict restrictions covering betting advertising and shirt sponsorships from the 2021-22 season. In England, Premier League clubs agreed to remove gambling sponsors from the front of matchday shirts from the 2026-27 season, although other forms of gambling partnerships remain possible.
What do you think of Brazilian clubs pushing back against possible betting restrictions? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.